Carrier-controlled planetary gear unit



Dec. 10, 1957 c. GERST CARRIER-CONTROLLED PLANETARY GEAR UNIT OriginalFiled Oct. '7, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Ch PIS 55735 T git-$62.46?

Dec. 10, 1957 c. GERST CARRIER-CONTROLLED PLANETARY GEAR UNIT OriginalFiled Oct. 7, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. UHF/S EAT/PST Dec. 10,1957 c. GERST CARRIER-CONTROLLED PLANETARY GEAR UNIT Original Filed Oct.7, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. UHF/S BERST Dec. 10, 1957 c. GERST2,815,836

CARRIER-CONTROLLED PLANETARY GEAR UNIT Orxgmal Flled Oct. 7, 1950 5sheets sheet 4 nlllllllmr INVENTOR. CHRIS BERST Dec. 10, 1957 c. GERST2,815,836

CARRIER-CONTROLLED PLANETARY GEAR UNIT Original Filed Oct. 7, 1950 5Sheets-Sheet 5 .FHLE

' INVEN TOR. CHRIS EERST WQW.H

2,815,836 cmn-conrnorrrp PLANETARY GEAR UN r 'Chris Gerst, Detroit,"Mich.

Original application October 7, 1950, Serial No. 188,947,

now Patent No. 2,741,130, dated April 10, 1956. Divided and thisapplication March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,315

1 Claim. (Cl. 192-12) .This application is a division of .mycopendingIapplication Serial Number 188,947, filed October 7, 1959, nowPatent No. 2,741,130, dated April 10, 1956.

This invention relates in general to multi-s peed transmissions and,more particularly, to multi-speed transmissions of the planetary typeand, while not limited thereto, has special reference to vehicles withrotary devices individually driven by individual power units as forexample truck mixers with mixing drums driven by individual power units.7

The general object of the invention is the provision of a. multispeed,reversible transmission of the planetary type constructed to controlforward and reverse rotation of its output shaft by a planetary clutchdevice embody ing spring-loaded clutch means and planetary drive meanscooperating with each other in effecting selective forward and reverserotation of the output shaft of the, trans:

mission.

-Another object of the invention is the provision-of a-multi-speed,reversible transmission of. the planetary type constructed to controlmulti-speed forward and reverse rotation of its outputshaft by aplanetary clutch device, the transmission including multi-speed gearingand a planetary clutch device coupling the gearing with the output shaftof the transmission, and the planetary clutch device embodyingspring-loaded clutch means and planetary drive means directly coupledwith each other for cooperation in eifecting selective forward andreverse rotation of the output shaft of the transmission,

' A further object of the invention is the provision'of a multi-speed,reversible transmission of the planetary type constructed to controlmulti-speed forward and reverse rotation of its output shaft by aplanetary clutch device, the transmission including multi-speed gearingmounted in a main housing and having an input shaft extended through oneside Wall of the main housing and a planetary clutch device coupled withsaid gearing and the output shaft of the transmission and mounted'in aclutch housing arranged at the side of the main housing oppositetosaidone side wall thereof, the planetary clutch device embodyingspring-loaded clutch means and planetary drive means directly coupledwith each other for cooperation in effecting selective forward andreverse rotation of the output shaft of the transmission. i i

In addition the invention has other marked supe'riorities which clearlydistinguish it from presently known structures. These improvements orsuperiorities, embodying certain novel features of construction,areclearly set forth in the following specification and the appended claim;and a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is hereinafter shownwith reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of thespecification.

'In the drawings: a i

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a multi-speed, reversible transmission ofthe planetary type constructedin accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the war-. Ha:

transmission shown in Fig. 1, the section beingtaken on line22ofFig.1. i

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the asseme, bly of theoutput shaft arrangement offthe transmission the section being taken online 3-3 of Fig. 2. p g f Fig. 4 is a transverse, somewhat diagrammaticsectional; view showing the planetary drive arrangement of,th e;.transmission, the section being taken on line 4 t o r L 5.; 1.- Fig. 5is a transverse sectional View showing the asseIn-y bly of thecontrolling elements for the clutch and brake means of the planetaryclutch :device, the. section;;being; taken on line 55 of Fig; 2. I 3Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectionalv view show?- ing theassembly of the controlling elements' for the clutch. and brake means ofthe planetaryclutch device, thezsection being taken on line 6-6 of Fig.'2. Y :4 Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing inside elevation the controlling elements for. the clutch and brake meansof the planetary clutch device, the section being taken on line 7-7 ofFig. 1 andthe controlling elements being positioned for forward drive ofthe output shaft; and i i Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, thecontrolling 'elements being positioned for reverse drive of the outputshaft. Referring now more particularlyto the exemplified form of theinvention shown in the drawings, reference numeral 2 denotes a compositehousing embodying a main housing 3 for a multi-speed gear drive 4, amain clutch housing 5 arranged adjacent to side wall 6 ofmain housing 3for a planetary drive and clutch arrangement 7, a secondary clutchhousing 8 arranged adjacent to side wall 6 above main clutch housing 5for a clutch 9, which' secondary clutch housing mounts on its end wall10 -af centrifugal pump 11, and a housing portion12later'ally extendedfrom main housing 3 in angular relation with respect thereto for anoutput shaft assembly 14 arigularly related to the input shaft 15 of thetransmission. Main housing 3, as customary, includes a flanged hous ingbell 16 to permit attaching of housing 3 to the hous-= ing of a powerunit not shown and freely rotatably supports in a ball bearing 17 theinner end portion 18 of input shaft 15 of multi-speed gear drive lywhichinput shaft has its end portion 19 connected to a fluidcouplin g 20.Input shaft 15 includes at its inner end a drive pinion 21 meshing witha gear 22 on-a-counter shaft 23 a nd rotatably supports in an axial bore24 in a ball bearing 25 one end of a driven shaft 26 which is exteiidedwitli its other end 27 through side wall 6 and journaled in such sidewall by means of a ballbearing 28; Shaft 26 includes a splined centralportion 29 to slidably and and: rdt'at'ablys'upport a gear 39 arrangedto be shifted' 'eithei" into mesh with a gear 31 on counter shaft"23 o"rnit o' clutching engagement with the internally splined portion 32 ofbore 24 in the drive pinion 21 to engage with clutch teeth 33 thesplined portion 32 of bore 24.

Shaft 26 carries at its extended end 27 a pinion S i which meshes with alarge gear '35 keyed to a Etubul'ai shaft 36 which forms one of theelements of planetary drive and clutch arrangement 7. 'This tubularshaft has axially extended therethrough shaft 37, adapted'ltobeselectively rotated in opposite directions by planetary drive and clutcharrangement 7. Shaft 37 transfersits rotation to output shaft 38 ofoutput shaft asserri The gear 35 and tubular shaft 36 arejournaledp 37by ball bearings 39 and 40, as will'readily'be from inspection-of Fig.2.Planetary drive and clutch-arrangemenETembodJes a planetarydrivestructure 41 and a.spring-lo'aded cliiteli structure 42 directly coupledtherewith. Planetary drive structure 41 consists of a sun gear 43 formedas an integral part of tubular shaft 36 and meshes with three planetgears 44 journaled on stud shafts 45 which are mounted on a freelyrotata bly supported planet gear carrier 46. These planet gears meshwith three idler planet gears 47 journaled on stud shafts 48 alsomounted on planet gear carrier 46, which idler planet gears mesh with agear 49 on the splined portion 50 of shaft 37 journaled in bearings 51and 52. Clutch structure 42 embodies a main body portion 53 which ismounted on the splined portion 50 of shaft 37 and includes a splinedcircumferential flange 54 encircled in radially spaced relation by aninternally spline-d, laterally extended flange 55 on planet gear carrier46. Flanges 54 and 55 nonrotata'bly and laterally shiftably supportcooperating sets of friction disks 56 and 57 arranged to frictionallyengage each other when shifted 'by the yielding force of thering-shaped, spring-pressed clamping plate member 58 of a clamping platestructure 59 toward a backing plate 60 integrally extended from bodyportion 53.

Clamping plate structure 59 embodies a cover member 61 secured to flange55 of planet gear carrier 46, which cover member mounts in recessedareas pre-loaded springs 62 yieldingly forcing the ring-shaped clampingplate member 58 toward backing plate 60.

Planetary drive and clutch arrangement 7 has its planetary drivestructure 41 and spring-loaded clutch 42 directly coupled with eachother by planet gear carrier 46 rotatably mounted on tubular shaft 36and body 53 by ball bearings 63 and 64. The planetary drive and clutcharrangement affords a simple and economic means to effect forward andreverse rotation of shaft 37 and stoppage of rotation of such shaft.Thus, when clutch 42 is activated, rotation of tubular shaft 36 by gear35 is directly transferred to shaft 37 through planet gears 44, idlerplanet gears 47 and gear 49, the gears being then non-rotatablyinterlocked with each other due to the coupling of planet gear carrier46 with main body portion 53 of clutch 42. In this case, tubular shaft36 and shaft 37 rotate in the same direction at the same speed. Whenclutch 42 is inactivated in a manner later to be described, rotation oftubular shaft 36 by gear 35 is transferred to shaft 37 through planetgears 44 and 47 and gear 49 to shaft 37. In this case, rotation of shaft37 is resisted, whereas rotation of planet gear carrier 46 a isunimpeded so that planet gears 44 and 47 effect idling of planet gearcarrier 46 around shaft 37. When clutch 42 is inactivated and planetgear carrier 46 held at a standstill in a manner later to be described,rotation of tubular shaft 36 is transferred to shaft 37 through planetgears 44, 47 and 49, so, that shaft 37 is rotated in a reverse directionto the direction of rotation of tubular shaft 36.

To transfer rotation of shaft 37 to output shaft 38, the shaft 37 isextended into housing portion 12 and provided at its extended portionwith a bevel pinion 65 meshing with a large bevel gear 66 on the splinedinner portion 67 of output shaft 38. This output shaft, which carries onits splined outer portion 68 a coupling flange 69 and is angularlyrelated to shaft 37, is journaled in ball bearings 70 and 71.

Multi-speed gear drive 4 effects also driving of a clutch controlledcentrifugal pump. For such purpose main housing 3 rotatably mounts inball bearings 72 and 73 a counter shaft 74 carrying on its splined innerend 75 a gear 76 meshing with gear 22. Shaft 74 extends through the sidewall 6 of the main housing 3 into the secondary clutch housing 8 andmount on its splined end 77 a friction disk assembly 78 of spring-loadedfriction clutch 9 having a throw-out device 79 of common constructionactuated by a clutch lever 80. Friction clutch 9 embodies backing platestructure 81, the hub portion 82 of which is journaled in side wall 83of the clutch housing 8, a ball bearing 84 being used for this purpose,and is keyed to the inner end portion of a 4 shaft 85 for thecentrifugal pump 11, the housing 86 of which is supported on the sidewall 83 of clutch housing 8.

Multi-speed gear drive 4 is shifted into different speeds by a fork 88engaged with a grooved hub 89 on shiftable gear 30. This fork isactuated by a gear shift lever 90 and effects shifting of gear 30 intoengagement with gear 31 or direct coupling of input shaft 15 with shaft26 when clutch teeth 33 of gear 30 engage the internally splined portion32 of drive pinion 21.

Planetary drive and clutch arrangement 7 is shifted to forward andreverse drive positions by a shifting lever 91 coupled with theoutwardly extended end portion 92 of a cam shaft 93. This cam shaftmount-s cams 94 and 95 which actuate upon a brake arrangement 96 adaptedto stop rotation of planet gear carrier 46 and spring-loaded clutch 42.The brake arrangement 96 embodies a brake band 97 which partly encirclesa peripheral flange 98 on planet gear carrier 46. Brake band 97 has oneend 99 adjustably secured to main clutch housing 5, a screw member 100engaged with said end and threadedly connected with said housing beingused for this purpose. Brake band 97 engages with its other end 101 thecurved seat 102 of a brake lever 103 pivotally supported on main clutchhousing 5 by a pin 104. Brake lever 103 mounts on its free end a camroller carrier 105 embodying oppositely arranged plate members 106 and107 spaced from each other by compression springs 108 pretensioned by abolt 109 freely extended through a bore 110 in plate member 106 andsecured to plate member 107. Bolt 109 partly compresses the springsbetween plate members 106 and 107 and permits further compression ofsprings 108 when under load. Plate member 107 includes ear portions 111supporting a pin 112 which pivotally mounts cam roller 114 engaging cam94 in shifting brake lever 103 to effect frictional engagement of brake'band 97 with flange 98 of planet gear carrier 46 against the tension ofspreader springs 115 arranged between the opposed ends 99 and 101 of thebrake band.

Spring-loaded clutch 42 is inactivated when the springpressed clampingplate member 58 thereof is shifted against the force of springs 62toward the side wall 116 of cover 61 of the clamping structure by alever 117 pivoted to such cover. Such shifting of clamping plate member58 is effected by a collar member 118 slidably mounted on a tubularflanged member 119 which is secured to main clutch housing 5 and hasshaft 37 extended therethrough. Collar member 118 mounts a thrusthearing 120 engaged wit-h the end of lever 117 to effect shifting ofclamping plate member 53 into inoperative position and therewithinactivation of the clutch 42 when collar member 118 is shifted towardthe clutch. Such shifting of the collar member is effected by twocooperating bell cranks 121 and 128 mounted on a pivot shaft 122 pivotedin bearings 123 on main clutch housing 5. Bell crank 128 includes afork-shaped arm 124 engaged with a rib 125 on collar member 118 and hasits second arm 126 engaged by the short arm 127 of bell crank 121 whichmounts on its long arm 129 a roller 130 engaging cam 95 on cam shaft 93and carries on its short arm 127 an adjustable set screw 131 engagedwith the arm 1.26 of hell crank 128 to permit angular adjustment of thebell cranks with respect to each other for take up on clutch 42 in caseof wear of its sets of friction disks 56, 57.

The construction of cam roller carrier 105 with pretensioned compressionsprings 108 arranged between the opposed shiftably related plate members106 and 107 permits smooth frictional engagement of brake band 97 withperipheral flange 98 on planet gear carrier 46 and automatic adjustmentof the brake band in case of wear.

In operation of the two-speed forward and reverse transmission rotationof output shaft 38 at different speeds is effected by gear shift lever90. Low speed rotation of output shaft 38 is attained when shiftablegear 39 is shifted into engagement with gear 31, and high speed rotationof such output shaft is attained when shiftable gear 30 is directlycoupled with drive pinion 21. The forward and reverse rotation of outputshaft 33 is controlled by planetary drive and clutch arrangement 7.Thus, forward rotation of such output shaft is brought about byactivation of spring-loaded clutch 42 and inactivation of brakearrangement 96 by shifting lever 91. This lever is coupled with camshaft 93 and when shifted for forward rotation of output shaft 38rotates cam shaft 93 to a position in which the cams 94 and 95 are outof engagement with their cam rollers 114 and 130 (see Fig. 7). A reverserotation of output shaft 38 is brought about by release of spring-loadedclutch 42 and activation of brake arrangement 96 by shifting lever 91.In this case lever 91 is shifted to rotate cam shaft 93 to a position inwhich the two cams 94 and 95 are both engaged with their cam rollers 114and 130 (see Fig. 8). Activation of brake arrangement 96 to arrestrotation of planet gear carrier 46 can be brought about only when clutch42 is inactivated. To accomplish this cams 94 and 95 are mounted on camshaft 93 in such a manner that in shifting operations for a forwarddrive, clutch 42 is first inactivated and thereafter brake arrangement96 is activated, and in shifting operations for a reverse drive, brakearrangement 96 is first inactivated and thereafter clutch 42 isactivated by release of its throw-out lever, the fork-shaped arm 124 ofhell crank 121.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In the combination of a carrier-controlled forward and reverse planetarygear unit including spring-loaded clutch means and spring-release brakemeans, a single control means adapted to effect release of thespringloaded clutch means and actuation of the spring-release brakemeans in timed relation with respect to each other, said control meansincluding a cam shaft having a cam member for releasing thespring-loaded clutch means and a cam member for actuating thespring-release brake means, and adjustable bell crank means arranged tocooperate with the cam member for releasing the springloaded clutchmeans, said bell crank means embodying two interengaged bell crankssupported on a single shaft, said bell cranks having their one armsadjustably engaged with each other, one bell crank having the other armengaged with the spring-loaded clutch means and the other bell crankhaving the other arm contacting with the cam member releasing thespring-loaded clutch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS763,548 Ferguson June 28, 1904 1,463,445 Smith July 31, 1923 1,707,053Dillon Mar. 26, 1929 1,773,696 Robertson Aug. 19, 1930 2,366,433Bridwell et al. Jan. 2, 1945 2,370,597 Wallerstein Feb. 27, 19452,401,518 Smith et al. June 4, 1946 2,488,756 Baker Nov. 22, 19492,587,015 Walter Feb. 26, 1952 2,633,938 Rodger et al. Apr. 7, 19532,656,904 Grenier Oct. 27, 1953

